Who Is That? Dwayne Johnson Looks Completely Different in New Trailer
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is no stranger to reinvention. From wrestling icon to action superstar, his career has spanned decades and genres. But his latest transformation might be his most surprising yet—and it’s catching fans completely off guard.
The Hollywood heavyweight, long known for his commanding screen presence, has now stepped into drastically unfamiliar territory. Gone is the bombastic Fast & Furious enforcer or the wisecracking jungle explorer. In their place? A battered, broken fighter on the verge of collapse.
The reason for the switch? A24’s upcoming drama The Smashing Machine, a gritty biopic that sees Johnson take on the role of real-life MMA legend and wrestler Mark Kerr. With prosthetics, a new accent, and a dramatic physical transformation, Johnson is clearly aiming to shatter expectations—and possibly pick up some awards buzz along the way.
It’s a far cry from the high-octane blockbusters that made him a box office juggernaut.
Before stepping into Kerr’s shoes, Johnson’s legacy was already well-established. Born into wrestling royalty as the son of Rocky Johnson, he made his name during the WWF’s (now WWE) “Attitude Era.” His charisma in the ring became his launchpad into Hollywood, starting with a memorable debut in The Mummy Returns (2001), quickly followed by the spinoff The Scorpion King (2002).
From there, Johnson built a résumé that leaned heavily into action and family-friendly comedy: The Game Plan (2007), Race to Witch Mountain (2009), and Tooth Fairy (2010) helped expand his audience. But it was his introduction as Luke Hobbs in Fast Five (2011) that supercharged his Hollywood career, paving the way for global hits like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), Rampage (2018), and Skyscraper (2018).
By the late 2010s, he was one of the most bankable stars on the planet. But 2022 brought turbulence.
Johnson’s passion project Black Adam, helmed by Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra, had been in development for years. The DC superhero film was supposed to be a game-changer—not just for Johnson, but for the entire DC Extended Universe. Instead, it fell flat.
Despite a massive promotional push and Johnson’s star power, Black Adam underperformed critically and commercially. The film struggled to connect with audiences and became the center of behind-the-scenes speculation. Questions about Johnson’s influence over the film’s direction and his resistance to a Shazam crossover gained traction when Shazam! star Zachary Levi appeared to lend credibility to those rumors.
The fallout was significant. While Johnson made a triumphant return to WWE in early 2024—an event that thrilled longtime fans—some saw the move as a calculated attempt to reset his public image.
Outside the squared circle, he kept a low profile. A cameo in Fast X was his only film appearance in 2023. His next significant project was Moana 2, which hit theaters in November and went on to become another massive win for Disney and Johnson.
While Moana 2 crossed the billion-dollar milestone, Johnson was quietly preparing for his boldest acting challenge yet.
In the spring of 2024, A24 released the first official look at The Smashing Machine, directed by Uncut Gems co-creator Benny Safdie. Johnson’s transformation was immediately met with stunned reactions online.
Johnson is not only starring in the film, he’s also producing it through his Seven Bucks Productions banner—founded in 2012 with his longtime business partner and ex-wife Dany Garcia—alongside Out for the Count. And now, the first trailer has dropped.
“Set to Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way,’ the trailer shows Johnson sporting prosthetics on his face to help him better resemble Kerr, as well as speaking with an Ohio-area accent rather than his trademark booming voice,” The Hollywood Reporter explained.
The move toward prestige drama could signal a new chapter for Johnson’s career. The combination of his physical commitment, emotional vulnerability, and collaboration with a studio like A24 positions him for a different kind of recognition. Awards season may very well take notice.
The Smashing Machine is slated for release on October 3, 2025.
Even as Johnson trades action for arthouse, he hasn’t left his Disney roots behind. Long before Moana 2 was officially greenlit, he joined Disney CEO Bob Iger in April 2023 to announce another return to the beloved property: a live-action remake of 2016’s Moana.
The news came directly from Oahu, Hawaii—a fitting backdrop for a story so steeped in Polynesian culture. While original voice star Auliʻi Cravalho will not reprise her role on screen, she remains closely involved as an executive producer.
Tony Award-winning director Thomas Kail is set to helm the live-action film, with both Disney and Seven Bucks Productions producing. The adaptation is currently scheduled for release on July 26, 2026.
What do you think of Dwayne Johnson’s new appearance? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!
